Sevarint the Great
by Nijiiro
Summary: My first serious story. It's a sort of tribute to my frozen pets, I guess. Review or get stabbed. ;p
1. Gonna be Great

(Author's note: I started this a LONG time ago. Since then Sevarint got frozen. ;-; The chapters, or scenes, will be short, since I haven't had much practice at this. Forgive meh. Now enjoy the show and REVIEW.)  
A beautiful, warm day. The sun smiles down upon a field of lush green grass, the cool breeze making it seem like water. A single butterfly, green and black, flutters above the plain. It flies past the grass, beyond a cluster of pastel-tinted flowers. The solitary butterfly flits over a gurgling stream, singing its endless song to the world. Finally, the butterfly comes to a small house on the outskirts of Neopia. It settles onto a rock in the middle of the yard. The pale green wings slowly wave, a silent greeting to its new surroundings.   
Suddenly, a young Kougra pounces the butterfly. Startled, it takes to the skies with the Kougra prancing after it. "Hey, wait up! Come back!" The green cub giggles.  
"The butterfly won't listen to you, Sevarint. It's gone off to embed itself in a car radiator." A blue Gelert calls to the Kougra.  
"Gimmie a break, Stryderl... Can't a kid have any fun around here?" The Kougra, Sevarint, stops leaping about and scuffs a paw in the dirt.  
"Y-y-yeah, S-Stryderl... l-l-let him have his f-f-f-fun." Calls Karsien, a yellow Kacheek. "H-he's o-only young."  
"Aw, Kars, I'm not young!" Sevarint crouches low to the ground, annoyed.  
"If you're not young, then I'm the King of Krawk Island. Besides, it beats being an old man!" snickers AeroCannon, a blue Pteri.  
"Old man, little kid, or anything in between... It doesn't matter! Everyone's gonna know who I am no matter what!" Sevarint leaps onto a rock. "I tell ya, I'm gonna be remembered in the history books. Remembered forever and ever for doing something great... something nobody's ever done before." He grins, waving his tail. Nobody notices as the butterfly returns, observing the scene before it.  
  
"Like being the first Kougra to be mauled by a Gelert because he wouldn't shut up?" Stryderl yelled irately.  
"You be quiet. -_-" Sevarint sighed. "You're ruining the mood."  
"Oh dear, now we wouldn't want to do THAT, now would we?" Stryderl rolled his eyes, swaggering about in mock horror. "Face it, kid. You wouldn't last five seconds out there!" He gestured a paw out to the vast world beyond.  
"I would too! You'll see..." Sevarint snarled, baring his tiny claws and trying to look tough.  
"Don't make me laugh." Stryderl flicked an ear at his sibling dismissively.  
"Well aren't YOU quite the bundle of sunshine, Stryderl? T_T" AeroCannon snorted.  
"He's always l-like this. You're n-n-new to the family, s-s-so y-you wouldn't k-know." Karsien muttered quietly to the newly-adopted Pteri.  
"You don't have to be so mean... I'll show you! Someday, when I'm famous for doing something new and exciting, and you're forgotten, we'll see who'd last five seconds, Stryderl!" Sevarint arched his back, hissing at his older brother.  
Stryderl just yawned. "Sure, whatever, kid. I'm going inside. You two coming?" He directed the question at Karsien and AeroCannon as he strutted indoors. Both nodded and followed.  
"Huh... Who needs him, anyway? I'll prove to him just how long I'll last..." With that, Sevarint turned and ran off, laughing as he bounded through the flora. The butterfly sunned itself on a rock for a few seconds more, then set off east, after Sevarint. 


	2. Jasminnee's Home

Back to the grassy plains. The sun has just finished sliding into its bed, and the stars begin to peep out shyly one by one. Sevarint races past the scenery, howling with pure exhiliration at finally beginning his quest to do something great. "Sevarint the Great they'll call me! Haha, I can see them now, all admiring how brave and wonderful good ole Sevarint is. Maybe I'll find a whole new place! What do you think?" he questions a rock as he skips past.   
  
"I think that if you dance around blabbering so loudly, you must be a moron." A speckled Usul sitting on a hollow log remarked.  
"Who asked you? I'm Sevarint the Great, and I can do whatever I wanna!" The Kougra poked his tongue out at the odd Neopet on the log.  
"Well, Oh Great One, everyone knows wild Lupes hunt at night. It's almost dark and there you are screeching like a Jubjub that just saw a Swamp Ghoul!"   
"Geez... sorry..." Sevarint murmurred, his mood ruined by the Usul's blunt logic. "Who are you, anyway?"  
"The name's Jasminnee. You can call me Jas. I live here." She replied, standing up. "What are you doing around here? You look like a tame pet to me."  
"Well Jas, nobody's wilder than old Sevarint. Don't be fooled!" Sevarint swelled out his skinny chest.  
"Oh, I won't, believe me." Jas sighed. This kid would need a lot of help surviving out here. "Why do they call you Sevarint the Great? You don't look so great to me... you're scruffy, scrawny, and too little to be anything near great. Even your name is dumb! It's unoriginal."  
Sevarint stared at the ground, looking hurt. "I'm named after one of the disciples of the Techo Master... And I'm gonna be just as strong as Sevarin, even stronger than Ryshu the Nimmo!"  
"So that's why you're great?" Jas raised an eyebrow.  
"No... I'm not really great yet, but I'm gonna be! I'll be a legend among Neopians someday!"  
"Good to hear it, Sevarint. Tell you what. How about if you agree to have something to eat at my place, so when you're great I can say I knew you." Jas offered to the young Kougra. Her real plan was to give him a place to stay the night so he wouldn't get devoured by Lupes. "C'mon, it's over this way."  
"Well... I'm fairly busy, but I'll agree to that. Just this once, though!" Sevarint swelled with pride, strutting proudly after the Usul.  
Jas nodded. "OK. Just this once."   
A large hollow tree stands alone, a monarch amid the vast stillness of the plains. This is Jas' home. Inside the tree, it's surprisingly warm and cozy. In one corner is a stone fireplace, with a bright, cheering fire glowing merrily, a cauldron of delicious-smelling stew boiling over it. A neatly made bed and overstuffed easy chair sit by a bookshelf in the other. At the centre of the room stands a polished wooden table with two chairs. Jas and Sevarint enter, chatting quietly.  
  
"Here we are, Sevarint. Home sweet home. Sit down at the table and I'll grab us some grub!" Jas called over her shoulder as she rummaged around the room. Sevarint obeyed, savouring the aroma of the stew. Finally, Jas pulled out two stone bowls and wooden spoons. She gave one of each to Sevarint. "The food's in the cauldron. Help yourself."   
"Do you live here all by yourself?" Sevarint asked as he ladled stew into his bowl.  
"Yep. Lived with some other pets for a while, but got sick of 'em. Guess I'm a bit of a hermit... Don't like crowds much." Jas nodded.  
"Oh..." Sevarint, unsure what to say, sat down and started eating. "Mmm... this is scrumptious! What is it?"  
Jas grinned mysteriously. "Trust me, you don't wanna know!" Sevarint was about to badger her into telling when he found what looked suspciously like a tail and decided he was better off not knowing. He quickly chomped down the rest of the stew and settled back in his chair, patting his full stomach. "Thanks for the food, Jas..."  
"It was nothing." Replied the Usul as she cleared away the dishes. "...Say, Sevarint, exactly how are you gonna become a legend? I've heard of a Zafara that was a legend because of winning the Beauty Contest many times with awesome images, and of a Shoyru being a legend because of being so strong and having a very rich and well known owner, but a scrawny little Kougra who's got no rich and artistic owner..." Jas trailed off. There was no reply from Sevarint, who had fallen alseep. "...Hm. Good idea. I could use some shut eye myself." Jas transferred Sevarint to the bed, then snuggled down into the easy chair. "G'nite, Sevarint." With that, she fell asleep. 


	3. A Curse's Beginning

It's morning. The sun is still rising. A sparrow stirs in its nest, slowly awakening to greet the day. With a soft twitter, it takes flight. The door to Jasminnee's home creaks open and Sevarint walks out, a sack of rations hanging from his neck. He turns to the doorway, where Jas stands.  
  
"Thanks for everything, Jas. You can come with me if you like. You could be great, too!"   
Jas stoutly shook her head. "A hermit like me? Nah... I'm happy to just stay at home. As far as I'm concerned, I can be great in my own world without romping across the globe. Come back and visit me when you're famous!"   
Sevarint grinned. "You bet I will, Jas. See ya soon!" He turned, then bounded forward, the tall grass bending out of his way. He didn't look back.  
Jas stood at the door, waving. "The poor child... I just hope he survives." Silently, she walked into her home, shutting the door behind her.  
  
Sevarint stopped running to look around. The grass was still as tall as ever, but now large rocks and the occasional tree dotted the landscape. Nothing really interesting to be seen for miles. "Who'd have thought that the world would be so dull, yet so big? Seems like kinda a waste to me..." He pondered aloud to himself as he walked through the deserted flatlands.  
The sound of a dead twig breaking interrupted his thoughts. He froze, ears poised and alert. Something was out there!  
Two Scorchios emerged from the grass. They spread out, flanking Sevarint. One Scorchio stared Sevarint down in front of him; the other was poised behind Sevarint. He gulped nervously. "Eh heh... Good morning... I'm Sevarint, and I was just passing through when-"  
One of the Scorchios snarled at Sevarint, spouting a tiny ball of fire. "Shaddup, you. Me 'n Poskrat-" He pointed at the other Scorchio. "-don't wanna hear nuttin' from the likes of you."  
"Yeah." Poskrat nodded.  
"So, whatcha got in that bag for ole uncle Raggal?" The Scorchio gestured at himself, slowly advancing on Sevarint. "Maybe some cash or valuables?"  
The fur on Sevarint's neck stood on end. He bared his fangs aggresively. "For my so-called uncle, I've got nothing but a knuckle sandwich! I'm not scared of you, or your little friend!"  
"Oh hoh... A fiesty little tyke, aren't ye? We'll see how brave yew are once we're through with yeh!" Raggal, obviously the leader, motioned for Poskrat to attack Sevarint from behind. Poskrat nodded and slowly began creeping up on the Kougra. "Show us what you've got, kitty cat!"   
Sevarint pounced. Raggal nimbly leapt to the side, striking Sevarint on the back as he passed. Sevarint fell, but quickly got to his feet. He crouched, glaring at his foe. Raggal breathed a sudden burst of flame at Sevarint. He barely had time to sidestep before the deadly attack whooshed by. Ignoring his now-burnt shoulder, Sevarint circled with Raggal matching his every step. Both lept at each other. In midair, Sevarint twisted, bringing himself above his enemy. The scrochio didn't even have time to look up before Sevarint buried his teeth into the back of Raggal's neck. Both landed on the ground with a thump. Poskrat decided he'd better strike soon or else he'd find himself partnerless. Sevarint clung onto his victim as Raggal thrashed about. The Kougra couldn't kill him like this, his teeth weren't big enough to do any serious damage... even so, it hurt like the dickens. "Poskrat you twit! Git over here and slay the bugger already!!" He roared.  
Warned by Raggal's shout, Sevarint turned his head, painfully dragging Raggal with him. Poskrat stood before him, claws poised for an awful blow.  
Sevarint reacted purely by instinct. He raised Raggal in front of him as a shield. There was an awful scream, and Sevarint dropped Raggal in shock. "Did you just... kill him? Oh Faeries above, he's dead!" Sevarint panicked, backing away from Poskrat.  
"I...I didn't mean ta do it... he got in the way... it was an accident..." Poskrat stared at his tainted claws numbly, then glared upwards at Sevarint, a sly smirk slowly forming on his face. "No... You killed him. I tried to stop you, but it was too late. You then attacked me, so I slew you in self-defense! The coppers'll hafta believe me... no witnesses! Hehehe...None!" Poskrat lept at Sevarint, already bloodied claws aiming to claim another victim.  
Sevarint reared up and backward onto his hind legs by reflex. The Scorchio's claws slashed across his chest, wounding, but not killing him. Sevarint fell back and rolled sideways, slamming his shoulder roughly into Poskrat's side as he pounced. Winded, Poskrat toppled over. Sevarint lept onto his stomach, clawing at his face. He brought his hands up to block the blows, catching one of the Kougra's paws in his. Poskrat was about to twist it and lame the green cub when Sevarint dug his claws into Poskrat's palms. Roaring in pain, he let go.   
Sevarint didn't want to kill Poskrat. But he knew Poskrat killed Raggal, and he would slay him just as easily. He had only one option: run. He sprang through the grass, sprinting as fast as his legs would carry him.  
Poskrat lay there until he regained his breath, then slowly got up and looked around. He knew the Kougra was gone, it wouldn't have hung around here for long. Poskrat spied Sevarint's tracks through the tall grass; it was cracked and crushed where his foe had ran. "You can't run OR hide from me, little one..." Poskrat muttered aloud as he set off after Sevarint, trodding scornfully on Raggal's dead carcass as he went. 


	4. Enter the Caves

The outer edge of a tranquil forest. A robin twitters from its perch atop a young oak. A large lake is there, with small, quiet waves and an occasional splash from a bullfrog the only signs of movement. Sevarint staggers out of the forest, exhausted and wincing from his wounds.  
  
"Whew... Think I lost him..." Sevarint panted for breath, collapsing on the shores of the lake. "I'm...safe now..." He mumbled, then passed out.  
  
Sevarint awoke to soft voices whispering to each other.   
"Is he alive?"  
"Of course he is, ya nitwit!"  
"You'll wake 'im up! Be quiet."  
"Make me, why don'tcha?"  
"Bring it on!"  
"Hush up, both of you! I think the Kougra's waking up!"  
Sevarint looked around. He was lying on a bed of soft moss, apparently in a cave of some form. A Kiko, a Koi and an aging Tuskaninny were gathered around him. "Whoa... what'd I miss?" He blinked a few times.  
"Welcome to the Caves, young friend. I am Juskoran, the elder. This argumentive pair is Erdian, the Kiko, and Tynah, the Koi." The Tuskaninny smiled kindly.  
"Hi!" Erdian and Tynah chorused.  
Sevarint noted they were both about his age. "Hi...I'm Sevarint. Um, can you guys tell me why I'm here, exactly?"  
"That's easy! We found you by the lake..." Started Tynah.  
"...All beat up and stuff. So we took you..." Continued Erdian.  
"To Juskoran. He got you patched up and stuff..." Piped up Tynah.  
"...So now here you are, in our home..." Chimed Erdian.  
"...The Caves!" Both finished.  
"...How do you guys do that?" Sevarint raised an eyebrow at the pair's odd way of speaking.  
"Do..." Erdian blinked.  
"What?" Tynah did likewise.  
"Forget I asked, OK?" Sevarint shook his head, sitting up.  
"Right!" Both giggled.  
"So what are the Caves, anyway?" Sevarint changed the subject causually, wondering if the Koi and Kiko were telepathic. Both were about to say something, when Juskoran put a fin on each of their mouths.  
"The Caves are a series of underwater tunnels and such. After the destruction of Maraqua, most of us fled though a small tunnel, which eventually brought us here. We've all lived in the Caves ever since." The Tuskaninny removed his fins from the duo's mouths.  
"We've got a little village..." Erdian explained.  
"Just over there." Tynah pointed over a pile of smooth, flat rocks.  
Sevarint was delighted. Here was his chance to be great! He had just found a secret world of underwater tunnels where the survivors of Maraqua thrived! "Show me!" He leapt to his feet eagerly. Erdian and Tyrah both nodded vigorously and scampered over the rocks. Sevarint followed, scrabbling awkwardly on the loose pebbles. As soon as he reached the top he gasped.  
"Welcome to our village, Sevarint." Tynah giggled, gesturing a flipper in front of her. There was a small village of aquatic pets, and a couple of campfires scattered about. That wasn't what made Sevarint gasp, however. It was the huts. They were made completely from crystal! He watched the firelight dance off the multicoloured houses, creating rainbow patterns on rock walls of the cave. The glow from a small pond nearby, obviously a tunnel entrance, only added to the stunning beauty of the place.   
"Pretty, isn't it?" Erdian asked, not without a hint of pride.  
"Pretty...? It's beyond pretty! It's...it's... breathtaking... It's beautiful..." Sevarint stammered, half-whispering.  
"Well, how would you like a..." Erdian grinned knowingly.  
"...Tour of our village?" Tynah waved her tail in excitement. "We can show you..."  
"Everything! C'mon, it'll be..." Erdian motioned to Sevarint, then started sliding down the rock pile.  
"A blast!" Laughing, Tynah grabbed Sevarint's paw in hers. They both slid down, laughing and shouting. When they got to the bottom, Erdian brushed the dust off of them. "Shall we be off, then?"  
"Yeah! We ain't getting any younger, you know!" Sevarint nodded, following his two friends into the village. 


	5. Shyndaru's Grave

The inside of the village is even more gorgeous than the outside. Small children play in the streets, while adults chat with each other. Erdian, Tynah and Sevarint enter, with the former pointing out various attractions.  
  
"That's the carpenter shop. The shop owner makes wooden weapons for us young pets to train with."   
"And over there's the Salted Taffyfish Salespeophin. Mmmm... Taffyfish..."  
"That's the armory, for times of war. We kids don't have any crystal armor in our size, though."  
"What about the Guidance Hall? That's where we go to ask the wisest of our people, young and old, for help, y'know."  
"That's nothing compared to Shyndaru's grave!"  
Sevarint, who had been thinking about how the tourists would love this place once he told the world about it, suddenly looked interested. "Shyndaru's grave, huh? Tell me more."  
Tynah looked around, then whispered mysteriously. "Shyndaru is our hero. She was a mighty Jetsam, who saved our people. She sheltered us from the speeding, sharp debris of the raging whirlpool, then, with many injuries, led our kind through the tunnels for miles. She died at this-" The Koi motioned at the ground in front of a glittering statue of a Jetsam. "-exact spot as soon as she found a home for us. As soon as she found the Caves."  
"Now, warriors come to this sacred place to ask Shyndaru's spirit for courage before going off to war, or to the Arena." Erdian touched the base of the statue solemnly.  
"Wow..." Sevarint felt chills running up and down his spine as he gazed up at the statue. "She must have really been brave..." He broke the spell by looking away and blinking at Erdian. "What's the Arena? Is it like the Battledome?"  
"Kinda... but you aren't allowed to use weapons." Erdian nodded.  
"Anyhow, it's getting late. How about you stay the night in our hut? It's this green one here." Tynah put an arm around Sevarint's shoulders and steered him into the hut.   
Inside the hut, a small campfire glows. Surrounding the fire are four beds of moss; two for Erdian and Tynah, two for visitors. Crystal shelves containing food, water, dishes and the like jut out from the walls. Other odds and ends clutter the ground here and there, such as wooden swords and crystal jewellery. Erdian and Tynah happily shove in Sevarint.  
  
"It ain't much..." Tynah gestured at her house's interior.  
"But it's home!" Erdian smiled fondly.  
The trio enjoyed a supper of crackers, cheese and those Salted Taffyfishes Erdian and Tynah were so partial to. Apparently, they were roast fishes dipped in taffy and cut into bite-size boneless pieces. They were surprizingly tasty, and Sevarint ate several cubes before the taffy welded his mouth shut and Erdian had joked about prying it open with his wooden dagger. The three friends told stories around the fire, then just sat and talked awhile. Sevarint explained about how he wanted to be remembered as a legend, and told all that had happened to him. He left out the part about Raggal and Poskrat, instead saying his injuries had come from falling into a bramble patch. He doubted the two believed him, but said nothing more about the matter.   
Finally, feeling full, happy and safe, The Kougra, Koi and Kiko all fell asleep.  
Full, happy and safe... but for how long...? 


	6. Bitter Revenge

It's midnight. The village is silent. A howling wind from a small hole in the cave roof shrieks at the hollowness of the once-bustling town. There's a loud splashing, and the outline of an all-too familiar Scorchio emerges, dripping wet, from the pond. He gasps for air, then stands up. Poskrat could tell the Kougra had been here. Even the water couldn't wash away the scent of his blood. Yes... that dimwitted child was here, all right! Poskrat followed the scent through the town, stopping in front of a statue of some Jetsam. Say...that crystal it was made of sure looked valuble... With a powerful slash, he cleaved a chunk right off of the dorsal fin. The Scorchio chuckled dryly, pocketing the shimmering mineral. Now, back to business... The trail ended in some green little hovel. Silently, Poskrat stepped inside. The fire had long died down to a pale glow of fading embers. Though he could barely see, due to water stinging his eyes, and the pure darkness of the Caves at night, Poskrat could make out the form of a young pet sleeping near the fire. "Heh... thought you was smart now, didn't ye? Yeh couldn't ascape ole Poskrat, now could ye?" He muttered mockingly. It took only the work of a moment to bring his claws down in a fatal slash, killing the poor child in one foul blow. 


	7. Final Tears

Sevarint awoke to the sound of Tynah crying. "...What's wrong, Tynah? What happened?" He got up, walking next to her. When he got there, he froze. Erdian lay dead, the floor covered in his blood. "Erdian...why?" Sevarint sobbed through clenched teeth. Only one person could have done this. "This is my fault. That stupid Scorchio followed me here!" He blurted. Blinded by hot tears, Sevarint ran out of the hut. Dashing down the street, he threw himself to the ground in front of Shyndaru's grave. The despairing Kougra gazed pleadingly at the statue, begging for comfort of any form. What he found was anything but that...   
Shyndaru's dorsal fin had been sliced off and stolen! The heroine who had saved many lives was repaid how? By having her memorial, her final resting place, disgraced and robbed! That was the last straw. Sevarint strode up to the pile of rocks he had climbed to first enter the village, quaking with rage.  
"Poskrat!" He roared loudly. "Poskrat, you coward! Just leave me alone, or else! We'll settle this now... a battle to the death! To the death! I'll be at the Arena, waiting for you to show your worthless hide!" With that, Sevarint lay down and cried for all he was worth. He cried until he had no more tears to give. Finally, he rose. Sevarint set off for the Arena, his eyes glinting with the cold, steely light of vengance.   
Sevarint had shed all his tears for his lost friend...  
For all the guilt weighing down on his shoulders...  
For the sheer unfairness of Erdian's death...  
But he would shed them no more.   
He would avenge Shyndaru and Erdian.  
Sevarint had shed his final tears. 


End file.
